Is He Nuts?

I am an openly gay man who feels nothing but love from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was told my entire life that God rejected me and I was going to hell merely for my sexual orientation. I needed to change my entire persona and become straight. This left such a bad taste in my mouth about organized religion in general that I refused to attend any church for many, many years.

It was Latter-day Saints who taught me that Heavenly Father loves ALL of His children, regardless of their sexual orientation. We are all children of God, and we should leave judgment to the Savior. It is not our place. We are asked only to love.

Dennis Schleicher’s life has been anything but easy. The growing realization that he was gay coupled with his parents’ use of religion to justify abuse and neglect led Dennis to have a very complicated relationship with love, God, and organized religion. After suffering a violent hate crime, forced institutionalization, and heartbreak after heartbreak, Dennis was desperate for love and acceptance-he just didn’t know where to find it.

After years of searching, Dennis unexpectedly discovered a new family in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now secure in his relationship with the Church and with God, Dennis shares the story of how he, a gay man, found his home in the Church. Determined to be a survivor, not a victim, Dennis draws upon his life’s journey as a source of inspiration to help others in similar situations and to foster a better understanding of his many LGBT brothers and sisters in the world. Dennis now serves as a ward mission leader, assisting sisters and elders throughout New England.

Dennis Schleicher

Dennis Schleicher is a writer, lifestyle reporter, crisis counselor, network marketer, and motivational speaker. Dennis is vice president and publicity director of the Connecticut Authors & Publishers Association. Has a degree in essential oils chemistry and pharmacology and hosts the cable show “The Art of Aromatherapy.” Dennis currently works as a network marketer, helping others to achieve financial success through creating residual income. Dennis has worked at several Fortune 500 companies, including working as a regional sales manager representing a multimillion-dollar territory within the professional beauty industry. It is through his work experience that he learned to effectively communicate with others and achieve his future goals. At age seventeen, Dennis appeared on seven talk shows, including Larry King Live, and Sally Jessy Raphael, after being a victim of a brutal hate crime that occurred in his high school. It is because of this that he now volunteers as a crisis counselor. Dennis now serves as a ward mission leader, assisting sisters and elders throughout New England to better understand how to work and deal with the LGBTQ community, creating a better understanding amongst all people. Author Residence: Glastonbury, CT